查爾斯·狄更斯150年前的信被發(fā)現(xiàn)
Charles Dickens, best known for writing “A Christmas Carol” nearly 170 years ago, has come back into the spotlight after a 150-year-old letter from the English author was recently discovered.
英國(guó)作家查爾斯•狄更斯最著名的作品是近170年前的《圣誕頌歌》,近日他的一封150年前的信被發(fā)現(xiàn)后,他又重新成為人們關(guān)注的焦點(diǎn)。
The letter was addressed to the Great Western Railway company after a train carriage fire destroyed his turkey, news agency SWNS reports. The railway’s horsebox caught fire and its contents were ruined near Hanwell Railway Station in west London.
據(jù)SWNS通訊社報(bào)道,這封信是寄給大西部鐵路公司的,當(dāng)時(shí)他的火雞被一節(jié)火車(chē)車(chē)廂的大火燒毀了。鐵路的馬箱著火了,里面的東西在倫敦西部的漢威爾火車(chē)站附近被毀。
The turkey, which weighed nearly 30 pounds, SWNS added, was to be served for Dickens’ holiday dinner. Upon discovering the turkey was destroyed, Dickens wrote a note to his reading tour manager, George Dolby, on Dec. 24, 1869, writing in all capitals: “WHERE IS THAT TURKEY? IT HAS NOT ARRIVED!”
據(jù)SWNS網(wǎng)站報(bào)道,這只重達(dá)30磅的火雞將成為狄更斯假日晚餐的主菜。1869年12月24日,狄更斯發(fā)現(xiàn)這只火雞被毀后,給他的讀書(shū)之旅經(jīng)理喬治·杜比(George Dolby)寫(xiě)了一張紙條,用所有的大寫(xiě)字母寫(xiě)道:“那只火雞在哪兒?它還沒(méi)有到!”
GWR superintendent J.C Kingett sent Dickens an apology letter, to which Dickens replied on Feb. 1, 1870:
1870年2月1日,GWR的負(fù)責(zé)人j.c.金奈特給狄更斯寫(xiě)了一封道歉信,狄更斯回復(fù)道:
“Sir, in reply to your letter I beg to say that I have no doubt my Christmas fare was destroyed by an unavoidable accident.
“先生,在給你的信中,我不得不說(shuō),毫無(wú)疑問(wèn),我的圣誕車(chē)費(fèi)是被一場(chǎng)不可避免的事故給毀了。”
“I bore the loss with unbroken good humour towards the Great Western Railway company. Faithfully Yours, Charles Dickens.”
“我對(duì)大西部鐵路公司的損失毫不掩飾地表示滿意。你忠實(shí)的朋友,查爾斯·狄更斯。”
Surprisingly enough, the turkey is thought to have been partially saved, with the charred remains handed out to the people of Reading, Berks., for sixpence a portion.
令人驚訝的是,這只火雞被認(rèn)為部分保存了下來(lái),燒焦的部分被分發(fā)給了伯克郡雷丁的居民。一份六便士。
The letter, which was kept by Kingett at the Paddington station, was eventually published in Great Western’s magazine in 1908, 38 years after Dickens died. It was recently discovered at the National Railway Museum in York, while doing a routine audit.
這封信由金特保存在帕丁頓車(chē)站,最終于1908年發(fā)表在《西部大開(kāi)發(fā)》雜志上,時(shí)隔狄更斯去世38年。它最近在約克郡的國(guó)家鐵路博物館被發(fā)現(xiàn),當(dāng)時(shí)正在進(jìn)行例行審計(jì)。